A statue of Confederate General Albert Pike, which was torn down and set ablaze during the 2020 social justice protests, has been reinstalled in Washington, D.C., following an executive order from President Donald Trump. The statue, erected in 1901, has long been a flashpoint in the debate over Confederate monuments, many of which were constructed decades after the Civil War. The National Park Service announced its plan to restore the statue in August, citing federal responsibilities under historic-preservation laws and Trump’s directive to ‘Restore Truth and Sanity to American History.’ The decision has drawn sharp criticism, particularly from Democratic Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, who represents the District of Columbia. Norton called the restoration ‘offensive to members of the military who serve honorably’ and reiterated her long-standing opposition to the statue, which she has sought to remove permanently through legislation. Pike, a controversial figure, has been accused of dishonorable conduct during the Civil War, including misappropriating funds and being captured by his own troops. Critics also allege his involvement in the formation of the Ku Klux Klan, though the Freemasons, who funded the statue, deny these claims. The statue’s reinstatement comes amid a broader national reckoning with systemic racism, sparked by the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Floyd’s death led to the removal of over 300 Confederate monuments across the U.S., making the restoration of Pike’s statue a contentious issue. The area surrounding the statue now bears a sign indicating ongoing historic preservation work, as the debate over the role of such monuments in public spaces continues.
Confederate statue torn down during anti-racism protests reinstalled in Washington
